interesting article by peter fitzsimons

[COMMANDER]

If Lima was not in the NRL he would be on parole or in jail.

 

[Brookie Brawler]

So he's read "The Guardian" article that was posted here (maybe one of his lackeys even read it while trawling this site) and re-fashioned it, added a few "dinkums" here and there and blended in a little of his own Vichy France hatred of rugby league - et voila! An article and insight he can claim as his own.

Either way not too many Sydney league fans would have seen the Guardian article and it's great that this stuff is getting out there in the mainstream media.

Hopefully this will increase scrutiny on Souths and put some more pressure on the NRL.

 

[Killer03]

Don't mistake Fitzsimmons going after Souths as anything other than bashing rugby league.

crap and bollocks - your comment is based on nothing. zero.

My comment is based on reading a lot of his articles over the last couple of years, and the theme of his articles is largely based on denigrating the game of rugby league. Fitzsimmons will dig the boot into rugby league at whatever opportunity he gets, (yes in this case it is warranted), however when that's what he does most of the time, IMO his comments get washed away as rugby league bashing.

 

[jwaa]

Don't mistake Fitzsimmons going after Souths as anything other than bashing rugby league.

crap and bollocks - your comment is based on nothing. zero.

Spot on.
Fitzsimon's is a very intelligent man. Anyone can see that. Of course he is biased towards rugby, but he is not a hypocritical bigot either. Its unfair to assume he is out to 'bash rugby league'.

When he see's something that needs to be said, in league or union, he will say it. The things he writes are 99% of the time accurate and relevant. This article is no different. Thoroughly enjoyed it, because you can see there is compelling evidence in it to suggest it is probably true.

Read it with both eyes.
Lima's a dog, but he's just a scapegoat for the purpose of this article. There's a trend of posters here gushing over some toolbag reporter/journo/commentator/politician after they've made a single throwaway statement that comes across as pro manly.

"
It seems while on the one hand rugby league constantly promotes the image of the former captains of the St George and Wests teams Arthur Summons and Norm Provan warmly embracing each other at the end of the 1963 grand final, the harsh reality is bitterly different.
That rightly celebrated photo bespeaks football sportsmanship at the highest level, of two men who have thrown everything at each other for 80 minutes, but who at the conclusion of it, are even better friends than before. ''The Gladiators'' embodies the spirit of football the way it is meant to be played.


What the Lima act represents, however, is thuggish bastardry pure and simple. And it is not as if it is a one-off, for either the NRL or Lima.
In the NRL there are dozens of cases, the most notable modern example of which was in 2008 when Paul Gallen infamously worked his fingers beneath the bandages of Anthony Laffranchi, and ripped into the freshly inserted stitches the Gold Coast forward had just had put into a bad head wound.
Laffranchi had to leave the field, and shortly thereafter, Gallen went after another player's testicles, all as part of his previously enunciated dictum: ''We've got a motto here at the Sharks – do whatever it takes to win.''

"

 

[Lord Eagleton]

I did read it with both eyes and have been reading him for many years, as long as he has been writing for Fairfax. Not only this one single article. If you perceive it as league bashing, so be it. All the things he mentioned in it were relevant and deserved to be mentioned.

 

[faithful]

Gee he has a honey of a wife batting way above is weight - nice article to.

 

[MissKate]

was he 99% right about Brett Stewart??

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

It is pointless to say the article means less because he is generally anti-rugby league.

This article is anti-Maguire, anti-Lima, and anti-Souths (the Burgess reference).

As league fans (not to mention Manly fans) it is in our interest that what Lima (and allegedly, Maguire) did gets maximum publicity. Thug acts by players, whether coached or simply on their own 'initiative', should be exposed.

Keeping quiet about these things does the game of rugby league no favours. The game of league needs rubbish acts to be exposed, and rubbed out of the game. In this case, the match review committee let the game down, and Fitzsimmons has done the game a service. Whether there is irony in this or not, it is true.

 

[Killer03]

It is pointless to say the article means less because he is generally anti-rugby league.

This article is anti-Maguire, anti-Lima, and anti-Souths (the Burgess reference).

As league fans (not to mention Manly fans) it is in our interest that what Lima (and allegedly, Maguire) did gets maximum publicity. Thug acts by players, whether coached or simply on their own 'initiative', should be exposed.

Keeping quiet about these things does the game of rugby league no favours. The game of league needs rubbish acts to be exposed, and rubbed out of the game. In this case, the match review committee let the game down, and Fitzsimmons has done the game a service. Whether there is irony in this or not, it is true.

I disagree, when someone peddles a certain agenda continually I believe their point is diluted by that bias. Like I've said previously in posts, this time what he said was warranted. But my point is that this is just allowing him to peddle that 'anti league' agenda, and he would be stupid not to jump on the current bandwagon given the fact of what has happened recently.

If someone who was perceived as more objective, and indeed a rugby league follower, came out with this type of article I would be more swayed.

And although I can't in all honesty know the purpose of the article, IMO it is no intended to point out the foibles of Souths/Lima/etc. The purpose is to show the non-league public that Rugby League is a game for thugs and Neanderthals. Miss Kate alluded to the Brett Stewart situation, and the Fitz Files were very vocal about this and the culture of disrespect shown to women in league.

 

[Stevo]

I can't believe people are arguing over why he wrote it rather than what he actually wrote.

I push the point a lot of the time cause i'm bored. I even make up fake credentials and facts just to win an arguement but seriously, who gives a **** who wrote it or why he wrote it? It's spot on!

 

[Lord Eagleton]

I know, its stupid, right. It was a good article.
O hang on, let me just see who wrote it. Nah nah, i dont like it now. That guy used to play rugby union and im sure i read him 'rugby league bashing' in other articles (or perhaps that was just me being overly sensitive ?). So im going to ignore the fact its a good article and throw mud at the guy who wrote it instead.

 

[mozgrame]

I can't believe people are arguing over why he wrote it rather than what he actually wrote.

I push the point a lot of the time cause i'm bored. I even make up fake credentials and facts just to win an arguement but seriously, who gives a s**t who wrote it or why he wrote it? It's spot on!

^ . Spot on as usual.

 

[Killer03]

I know, its stupid, right. It was a good article.
O hang on, let me just see who wrote it. Nah nah, i dont like it now. That guy used to play rugby union and im sure i read him 'rugby league bashing' in other articles (or perhaps that was just me being overly sensitive ?). So im going to ignore the fact its a good article and throw mud at the guy who wrote it instead.

Personally I fail to see how mud has been thrown at the guy who wrote it. Pointing out a couple of things regarding previous articles is hardly doing that.

And why is it so stupid to question why someone wrote an article?

 

[Rodo]

I missed the Guardian article and this thread brought it to my attention. It's a great read and says many of the things Fitzsimons says in his article.

Here it is for anyone else who missed it before: http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2011/apr/22/michael-maguire-wigan-warriors It highlights Maguire's true colours.

 

[Rex]

Agreed, a great read.

The link doesn't seem to work Rodo. Because the full stop at the end is included in the url?

 

[Rex]

Agreed, a great read.

The link doesn't seem to work Rodo, but this one does:

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2011/apr/22/michael-maguire-wigan-warriors

 

[Rodo]

Agreed, a great read.

The link doesn't seem to work Rodo, but this one does:

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2011/apr/22/michael-maguire-wigan-warriors

Thanks Rex for pointing out my mistake. It should work now

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

I disagree, when someone peddles a certain agenda continually I believe their point is diluted by that bias. Like I've said previously in posts, this time what he said was warranted. But my point is that this is just allowing him to peddle that 'anti league' agenda, and he would be stupid not to jump on the current bandwagon given the fact of what has happened recently.

If someone who was perceived as more objective, and indeed a rugby league follower, came out with this type of article I would be more swayed.

No, you wouldn't be swayed about anything ... because you are already a league fan and you already dislike what Lima did!

And although I can't in all honesty know the purpose of the article, IMO it is no intended to point out the foibles of Souths/Lima/etc. The purpose is to show the non-league public that Rugby League is a game for thugs and Neanderthals.

While the game allows thugs like Lima to cop only a token punishment, then sadly that argument is not completely without merit.

 

[Killer03]

I disagree, when someone peddles a certain agenda continually I believe their point is diluted by that bias. Like I've said previously in posts, this time what he said was warranted. But my point is that this is just allowing him to peddle that 'anti league' agenda, and he would be stupid not to jump on the current bandwagon given the fact of what has happened recently.

If someone who was perceived as more objective, and indeed a rugby league follower, came out with this type of article I would be more swayed.

No, you wouldn't be swayed about anything ... because you are already a league fan and you already dislike what Lima did!

Fair point

And although I can't in all honesty know the purpose of the article, IMO it is no intended to point out the foibles of Souths/Lima/etc. The purpose is to show the non-league public that Rugby League is a game for thugs and Neanderthals.

While the game allows thugs like Lima to cop only a token punishment, then sadly that argument is not completely without merit.

Absolutely, and I am in no way defending Lima's actions, they were actions of a complete grub. My whole point throughout this argument has been that this has just been an easy way for Fitzsimmons to continue his anti-league agenda.

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

I'm not defending Fitzsimons in general, but I was pleased to see that article because I want that info about Maguire and Lima to be shouted from the rooftops. The brilliant sleuths among the ranks rugby league reporters had failed to bring it to light.